Kate Lizzie Alison
by SoulfullyInclined
Summary: I don't own anyone. Please Review.
1. Chapter 1

"Hey Kate," one of the older girls said to me as I walked up the stone steps of the ballet studio that morning.

"Hey Keri," I said.

Keri was tall and thin with long dancer legs and long dancer arms. She was bleach blonde, with short hair and light blue eyes. Her skin was light and she hardly ever showed up to ballet class. She was smoking a white cigarette as usual and had gauze wrapped around her wrists at the end of her arms which came from a bright blue sleeveless leotard.

"Hey Kate," Alison said to me.

"Hey Alison."

"You goin to class?"

"Uh maybe. You?"

"Yeah."

Pause

"My feet hurt though."

"Jeez."

"Yeah but whatever."

Another pause. Alison didn't seem to have many friends but she hung out with Keri a lot. Maybe that's because they both had self destructive habits I don't know.

"You wanna do something later?"

"After class."

"Yeah."

"Um sure."

"Or maybe at lunch since I got school."

"Yeah me too."

Keri leaned her head up to the sky and took another puff.

"I dropped out of school years ago man," she said

"Why?" I asked

"No point in goin anymore."

"Oh."

I sighed.

"I'm there as much as I can be."

"Why?" Alison asked, peering up at me.

"It's an escape."

"Oh. From?"

"Home. My family, if you can call it that."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Pause

"See you at lunch then."

"Ok. Bye Kate."

"Bye Alison."

I pulled open the door and headed up the stairs.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Kate," my friend Lizzie said to me as I was doing stretches on the dressing room floor.

'Hey Lizzie."

Lizzie and I used to be not be friends last year. But we've gotten closer since id been going through some difficult times and her dad had died at the beginning of this year. She used to be friends with Miranda and David but they just kinda drifted apart. I used to be friends with Claire but we drifted apart. I guess. We still say hi whenever we see each other but somehow it's not the same.

"What's goin on," she asked me, settin on the floor next to me to do stretches.

"Nothing much just…''

"Just what?"

"I'm dreading going home."

She sighed.

"Yeah me too."

"You wanna have lunch together?"

"Yeah sure."

"Ok."

"Hey do you know Alison?"

"Alison. Dark hair, green eyes?"

"Mmmhmm."

I nodded.

"Yeah we've talked a bit."

"She might be having lunch with us."

"Oh ok that's fine."

"Alrite good."

A pause as she put her nose to the floor and her hands around her right foot. She's really pretty, with curled bouncy blonde hair and blue eyes. Kinda like me. She's really nice too once you get to know her. But she can be very distant probably because of everything she's been through lately. Some people close themselves off when life gets too difficult to handle.

"So what's new with you?" she asked me.

"Oh, nothing much. Parents still arguin Amy still smokin. You?"

"Matt's usually gone at a friend's house most afternoons and Mom's decided to become a workaholic. Wow how much fun is that."

We both laughed at her sarcasm.

"I know. But hey I'm here for ya."

"Thanks Kate."

"No problem."

A sigh as she switched legs.

"Stress?" I asked.

"Yeah you?"

"About the same."

Pause.

"When life is makin you lonely you can always go," I started singing the Petula Clark song.

"Downtown," Lizzie filled in.

"Linger on the sidewalk where the neon lights are pretty," I sang.

"Listen to the music of the traffic in the city," Lizzie added.

"How can you lose the lights are much brighter there forget all your troubles forget all your cares and go downtown," we sang.

We both smiled.

"You have a really pretty voice," I told her.

"Thanks."

I sang Sarah McLachlan's Angel. When I was done, Lizzie stared at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Wow Kate."

"Um."

I still wasn't getting it.

"Your voice is amazing'

"Um wow really."

"Yeah."

I blushed

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Pause.

"You ever try out for any of the shows?"

"No."

"Well, you should."

"I'll think about it."

We started singing a song from RENT; "the heart may freeze or it can burn the pain will ease if I can learn there is no future there is no past I live this moment as my last…."

One of the older girls, Linda came into the dressing room.

"Girls, time for class," she told us.

"We'll be right there."

"Alrite."

Linda left and Lizzie and I went to class.


	3. Chapter 3

We were doing plies to the soundtrack of Sleeping Beauty. The song I Know You was playing. My thoughts drifted back to the girls downstairs. Alison was also pretty with dark brown, almost black wavy hair pale skin and intense dark green eyes. She was shorter than Keri and usually had gauze wrapped around her wrists. It was no secret that Keri and Alison were both cutters. It was also no secret that Alison despite being a ballet dancer cut and did other damage to her size 8 feet. When you're with a dance company long enough you get to know these things.

My first class of the day was literature. We were reading Speak. Today, we had an open discussion about it although I can't remember what it was. Near the end of class someone brought in a note for the teacher, Miss Grant.

"Kate."

I looked up

"Yes."

"You need to go talk to the counselor. Take your things."

I took my things and made my way down the hall down the stairs to the first floor and down the hall to room 112. I knocked on Miss Shannon's door, which she opened.

"Yes?"

"You wanted to see me?"

"Oh, yes I did. Come in Kate."

I opened the door came in and closed it behind me, standing against it.

"You're welcome to sit down," she told me

"No, I'm comfortable standing," then, remembering my manners, I added "thank you."

"Alrite. Kate, the reason I called you down here today was that someone you know is worried about you'

"Who?" I asked curiously.

"I'm afraid I cant disclose that-'

"Who," I demanded, forcefully but softly

"Claire ….McVane"

I nodded

"You know Claire?"

"Yes."

_Unfortunately_ I thought.

"She's worried you're……erm…..well."

It was obvious she was uncomfortable talking about self destruction.

I remembered to clasp my hands behind my back so she couldn't see the gauze wrapped around my wrists.

"Well um cutting."

Which I was but I wasn't about to admit that to her, of all people.

"Kate."

She looked at me.

"Yes?"

"I need you to answer this honestly are you?"

Our eyes held for a moment. The clock ticked waiting for an answer. The only sound in the room.

"No, I'm not."

"Alrite well your friend was just concerned that you might be."

She wasn't my friend. I hardly had any friends except Lizzie and possibly Alison, although she didn't go to our school.

"It's a growing problem in America, especially in young women your age. Claire just wanted to make sure…"

"I'm not you don't have anything to worry about."

"Well alrite dear. But remember, if you need anyone to talk to'…"

"Thank you."

I turned and opened the door.

"Bye Kate."

"Bye."

As usual, I did something I did many times during the day. I went into the bathroom, unwrapped the gauze, took out my razor and cut.


	4. Chapter 4

I was outside sitting in the sunlight with Alison, waiting for Lizzie.

"You know Lizzie?" I asked Alison.

"Lizzie. Pretty, blonde, blue eyed?"

I nodded.

"Looks kinda like you?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, I know Lizzie, we've talked'

"Ok."

"Why?"

"I told her you might be having lunch with us."

"Ok cool."

"Ok good."

I felt a body sit down beside me on the grass. Alison looked over to see who it was.

"Oh hey Lizzie," she said

"Hey Alison."

Lizzie moved so that she was sitting across from us and she could see us better.

"Hey Kate."

"Hi."

"Sorry I'm late but Miss Shannon wanted to see me."

"Ohhh."

"She wanted to see you too," Lizzie guessed, judging by my reaction.

I nodded.

"Mmmhmm."

"About?"

"The usual, self destruction wanted to know if I did it."

Alison raised her eyebrow; "and?"

"I told her I didn't."

"Even though you do."

"Yeah well so do the rest of us'

We laughed.

"And she said she'd tell my parents but," Lizzie continued

"Your fathers dead and your mom,"

"As of today, is a workaholic and my brother's never home most weekends. Which, is what I told her'

"Mmmhmm'

A slight pause

Alison gasped.

"Oh your fathers dead?" she asked

"Yeah he passed away in September."

"Jeez that's recent."

"Yeah."

"Um how?"

"Car accident."

"Oh god hun I mean Lizzie I I don't know what to say I'm sorry I guess I mean…"

Alison was now tongue tied.

"Thank you. It's still hard."

"Well it's barely been a year so I can see why."

"Yeah thanks Alison."

"Mmmhmm."

They hugged.

Alison, realising I had been left out of the hug, looked at me.

"Kate do you want…?"

"No that's ok."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I don't like hugs or being touched in general my dad used to…it's a long story."

"Ohhhh."

"But thanks though Alison you're a sweetheart."

"Thank you."

She smiled.

"Mmmhmm."

We sat and ate in silence for awhile

"And Kate,"

Alison looked at me

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about your past and um…"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Alison was really quiet but once you got to know her she was really sweet and motherly.

"Hey what are you guys doin after school?" I asked them.

"Um nothing," Lizzie replied.

"Alison, you?"

"Nothing unless staying in my apartment with Belinda counts as something."

We laughed.

"And Belinda would be…?" Lizzie inquired

"My older sister. She's Asian, strangely and I'm Irish."

"Oh ok. If she's anything like you then…" I said

"Yeah. You guys can meet her tomorrow."

"Ok," Lizzie agreed

"Why?" Alison asked

"Hmm?"

I then realised what she was talking about

"Oh, because I was wondering if you'd like to come over."

"Sure."

"Yeah."

"If you don't mind being around my parents arguing, that is."

We laughed

"It'll be a nice change from the quiet emptiness of my house," Lizzie said

"Yeah mine too," Alison agreed

"Ok so see ya then," I said, getting up

"Yep see ya then."

"Ok bye."

"Bye Kate," they chorused


	5. Chapter 5

Afternoon classes; drama, algebra and art. In drama and art we had a sub.

In algebra the value of x was discussed and how to solve proportions. X is the unknown and the slope is the number before x or the number before the unknown. If there isn't a number before x then the assumption is made that that number would be 1. to solve proportions you cross multiply and then divide.

Our homework was to do a worksheet. Tomorrow my classes would be algebra drama art literature journalism and psychology.

I waited outside on the steps for Lizzie and Alison. Once they arrived we took the bus to Village Inn.

"Um Kate," Alison said, once we were seated in Village Inn

"Yes?"

"I don't have any money. With me, that is."

"Oh don't worry I'll pay."

"You sure?" Lizzie asked.

"Yes."

"Ok."

The waitress arrived to take our beverage orders.

"What can I start you off with to drink?" she asked.

"Raspberry ice tea," I told her.

"Coke," Lizzie said.

"Choclit shake," Alison said

She left to get our drinks.

"Does this place ever close?" Lizzie asked me.

"No it's open 24 hours."

"cool then we could stay here till 1 am," Alison commented.

We looked at her.

"Some time. Not today though."

Pause.

"So how was everyone's day?" Lizzie asked

"This sounds like a therapy group," I commented

We laughed.

"Yeah except we're not sitting in a circle," Alison said

Pause.

"My day was ok. That I can remember, nothing really happened except we had a sub in drama and art and Miss Shannon talked to me," I said

"Yeah she talked to me as well," Lizzie added.

I turned to Alison: "how was your day?"

"It was alrite kind of boring."

The waitress brought us our drinks and came to take our orders.

"Um brownie pie Belgian waffle," I told her.

"Fruit and fries," Lizzie said

"Cinnamon bun," Alison said.

The waitress left and we started sipping our drinks. There was a lull in the conversation.

"Hey we have a 4.5 day weekend," I said.

"Oh yeah we do," Lizzie remembered.

"We should do something this weekend," Alison suggested.

"Yeah, maybe see a movie or something," I offered.

The others nodded.

"We could go see a movie on Thursday since it's a half day," Lizzie suggested

"Yeah and I have a lot of movies I wanna see," Alison said.

"Ok let's do that then," I said.

"Ok."

Pause.

"We don't have school on Monday either," Alison reminded us.

"No, we don't' I said.

"So we could rent movies er DVDs this weekend," Lizzie noted

"Yeah and have a pizza party," Alison said.

Our food arrived. The pie was really good and so was the ice cream that came with it which Alison had. Lizzie was enjoying her fruit. We then paid, left and went to my house.


	6. Chapter 6

Even before I opened and unlocked the door I could hear my parents arguing. Lizzie and Alison looked at each other with raised eyebrows. I put my key in the lock and unlocked and opened the big wooden front door of my house. We stepped inside where a few feet in front of us were my parents arguing about I don't know what. I had learned to tune out their arguments long ago.

Alison opened her mouth to say something.

"Don't bother saying hi they probably won't respond," I said, locking the door behind me.

"Oh."

We headed upstairs to my room, all the while Alison and Lizzie looking around at my house and the things in it in awe.

"Wow you have a really nice house," Alison commented.

Lizzie had been to my house a few times but Alison hadn't.

"Thanks," I replied.

We headed up the large sweeping mahogany staircase, past the bare white wall and up to the second floor. On the second floor we walked down the thickly carpeted hallway, past the many closed doors leading to the many rooms. One of the doors was open however and from that room we heard laughter and smelled smoke.

"That's Amy, my cousin," I explained.

"She smokes and occasionally baby sits me every now and then not that I need it. Don't bother talking to her, either, it's highly doubtful that shell respond. Why she lives here and not with her own parents I don't know."

We had come to the end of the hall where a large woo den door stood locked and shut. I put my iron key into the keyhole twisted the knob and opened the door letting the girls in before I locked and shut it again.

"Paranoid?" Lizzie asked me

"You never know when Amy might want something," I answered, dropping my stuff on the floor and going over to light some of the candles on my windowsill.

"Your house is so loud," Alison commented.

"Yeah I know."

"At home its just Belinda and I and sometimes Mom."

I couldn't imagine what living in a quiet house would be like. The arguments of my parents and the laughter of Amy was all I had ever known. I had been to Lizzie's house a few times and it was eerily quiet. And smaller than mine.

My room was gray, or at least the lighting was, which made the bedding, bedspread and about the 10 pillows on the bedding look gray, along with the sheer purple curtains which I never opened. I never opened the windows either which Alison had gone to look at.

"Kate?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"Why are there bars on the windows?"

"Wha oh I don't know."

"Oh."

A pause.

"Why don't your parents just get a divorce?" Lizzie asked me.

I sighed; "I don't know."

Another pause.

"When was this house built?" Alison wanted to know

"Around the beginning of the 19th century," I replied

"1800," Lizzie spoke up.

"Hmmm?" I murmured.

"It was built in 1800," she repeated

I had told her this on one of her many visits to my house

"Oh yeah. Yeah this had been in our family for centuries'

Alison was wide eyed; "Woooooow."

I giggled.

"So then your family's been living here since 1800?" Lizzie asked.

She already knew the answer but she wanted to inform Alison.

"Yeah."

"Why are there so many rooms and doors?" Alison asked

"Because there used to be more of us way back when."

"Woooow."

Another pause.

Lizzie was sitting on my bed while Alison looked around the room.

"Hey how come you don't have any mirrors?" she asked

"I don't like mirrors."

"Oh."

She continued looking. She wandered over to my bookshelf, which was across from the bed.

"Wow you have a lot of books," she commented.

"Yeah I know."

The wooden bookshelf was filled with books. She stood by the bookshelf and looked up at the white ceiling.

"Hey what's that?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh that's the door to the attic."

"Oh. Can I see it sometime?"

"What, the attic or the door?"

"You've already seen the door," Lizzie said.

"Yeah. So I guess the attic," Alison answered.

"Oh. Yeah sure I guess. You guys want something to eat?"

"Ok."

"Yeah."

We went down to the kitchen.


End file.
